Baker brings novel résumé to Canton

What an interesting set of experiences the new boss at the Pro Football Hall of Fame is bringing to Canton.

We look forward to seeing how these experiences translate into C. David Baker's management of the Hall at the start of its second half-century here.

As a former Arena Football League commissioner and team owner, Baker surely has spent a lot of time thinking about how to please the fans. Sounds like a natural fit with a facility whose recent expansion and renovation were designed to give visitors an unparalleled interactive experience.

Baker also has served in government, as a legislator and mayor of Irvine, Calif., a fast-growing city with a current population of 231,000. As with his

immediate predecessor, Stephen Perry, who ran a federal agency before returning to Canton to lead the Hall, public service can't help but be an asset as Baker interacts with elected officials.

And finally, the new president and executive director of the Pro Football Hall of Fame has left behind a life spent in California to put down roots in Northeast Ohio — in January. Need we say more? Welcome to Canton, Mr. Baker.